Following Jesus

The Gospel

The message of Jesus and His plan to bring us salvation is called “the Gospel,” or in Greek, “kerygma.” It can be summed up in four steps:

• God created you out of love to be in relationship with him so that you can live an abundant life here, now, and forever in heaven. We are created individually, intentionally, and for a specific reason. He has a particular plan for our lives, filled with meaning and purpose. Each of us has a place in his Kingdom.
• Our relationship with him is broken through sin. The fall of Adam and Eve created a rift between humanity and God. There was no longer a chance for eternal life with our Creator.
• Jesus restores our relationship. Through his life, death, Resurrection, & Ascension, Jesus took our sin upon himself and paid the price of our separation from him, so that through him we can be restored to right relationship with him. We owed a debt we could not pay so he paid a debt he did not owe.
• We respond in faith. By repenting from our sin, acknowledging our need for a savior, and allowing Christ to be at the center of our lives we enter back into a relationship with God. This relationship is personal and is expressed fully through an integrated life of discipleship within the heart of the Church.

Take the Next Step

• Read the life of Jesus in the Bible – we recommend starting with Mark’s Gospel.
• Watch a series about Jesus and His mission, like Metanoia or The Rescue Project.

• Respond to Jesus’ sacrifice by placing Him at the center of your life. You can pray in your own words or repeat a prayer such as this:

  Father, I believe that you know me and love me. 
  I have not always chosen to love you, 
  and have broken my relationship with you through my sins. 
  Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, who proved your love for me on the cross. 
  Lord Jesus, I open the door of my heart and I invite you to be at the center of my life — to be my Savior and my Lord. 
  Direct me by your Holy Spirit and help me to live the Gospel with my whole life. Amen

  *prayer taken from The Ultimate Relationship, Catholic Christian Outreach